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“I mean, four boys and two girls, and four girls and two boys. Surprised you all never hooked up—but I guess a few of you did though, huh?” he asked, studying me carefully.
I sighed. “You want to talk about what Ethan said, don’t you?”
He cocked a brow. “He did say quite a bit, Riley. I guess I don’t want the details, but I would like to know if there is anything I should be concerned about.”
I leaned back on the sofa. “Ethan and I had an arrangement. We didn’t particularly date, but we did hook up. For lack of better words, he was kind of my best friend, and anytime I had too much to drink, he would take me home, which usually led to us in bed.”
“How often did you two have sex?”
I tucked my bottom lip under my teeth as I thought about it. “I don’t know. I guess it started about five or six years ago. We just hooked up one night, and we kept doing it every once in a while. Neither of us was ever in a relationship with someone else when we did. It was a thing of convenience.” I shrugged.
“I have a feeling it might have been more casual for you than for him.”
“What makes you say that?”
He stared at me. “Anyone can see that he’s in love with you, Riley.”
I tossed my head back and laughed. “Ethan doesn’t love me. He tolerates me, Joe, and enjoys sex with me. That’s it.”
Joe smirked. “You don’t see it.” He took a swallow of his wine. “I think everyone at the party knows how he feels, except you. Everyone was very nice about it, which is the only reason I didn’t feel uncomfortable, but it was obvious that they all knew it. I saw it when I went to get your beer.”
“I think you are wrong.”
“Well, as long as you don’t feel the same way about him.”
I stared him straight in the eye. “I am not in love with Ethan.”
Joe remained quiet for a moment, then he took my wineglass from my hand and set both of our drinks on the coffee table. After that, he scooted closer to me and took my face in his hands and spoke huskily. “Then lucky me.”
Joe kissed me, and I melted into him. Our kisses grew more in-depth, and before I realized what was happening, we were removing our clothing. Sadly, my mind was a million miles away and not in the moment. I was trying to find a way to stop our forward momentum, but the alcohol in my system made the sexual feelings too hard to deny.
Luckily, his cellphone rang, and he sighed as he removed his mouth from my breast. “That’s Chip.”
I nodded as he grabbed his phone off the coffee table and sat up. “Everything okay, Chip?”
He listened for a moment and frowned. “Okay, I’ll be home soon. Let her know.”
He hung up the phone and turned his sexy hazel eyes my way, letting them slide hungrily over my body. He put his palm on my stomach and slipped it up between my breasts. “As much as I hate to leave, I gotta go. Sasha had a nightmare.”
“Absolutely,” I said as I sat up and reached for my shirt. “Kids come first.”
He cupped my cheek. “Thanks for understanding, Riley.”
As we got dressed, my eyes landed on a picture of Henley, me, and Ethan. Suddenly, I needed Joe to leave as quickly as he could. Everywhere in my room, I saw Ethan, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to scream or cry.
I walked Joe to the door, kissed him good night, and told him that I had a good evening. I did like the man; he was excellent company, and for once, I could see myself going on more than three dates—maybe.
After I’d locked the door and turned off the lights, I’d grabbed the wine bottle off the counter and made a beeline for my bed. I was barely onto it before I started sobbing.
